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BrewDog bars are beacons of craft beer hope and hoppy glory. They are places to meet friends, make new friends and catch up with old, all while discovering your new favourite craft beer. This week, we hit up BrewDog Birmingham to meet the team, check out their menu and see what's been going on since the bar launched last year.

The Team

BrewDog Birmingham is headed up by Dan, supported by his crack team of craft beer evangelists, Bec, Jon, James and Mike. Here's the low down on Team BrewDog Brum:

Name: DanJob: Bar Manager (aka Head Honcho) What's the craic?"The word “manager” can have many a meaning… I like to think I’m the older statesman of the group! I am a soldier and general, an administrator, a quality controller and occassional nudist...! Above all I am purveyor of fine goods and factual insight into the world of craft beer.

Jackhammer is my current favourite BrewDog beer, gotta love those hops! From our guest range, I'm loving Cali-Belgie. I'm also really into our beef brisket on the food menu right now, I love the mix of freshly ground coffee and cocoa that go into the rub… it’s like seasoning on acid!"

Name: Mike GeeJob: Assistant ManagerWhat's the craic?: "I've worked in a comic book shop, the UK's oldest working cinema, and as a BrewDog bar manager, and this has to be the best job I've ever landed. It rocks!

I generally take care of the bar and help Dan out with running the joint, I'm also your go-to guy for ad hoc projects such as my current campaign to get an arcade machine in the bar. Ask me at the bar for the petition form and a pen...

I'm a big homebrewer and I started and run the home brew club here at the bar. It's a lot of fun and we're in the middle of our second competition, which we're theming around Halloween!"

The Bar

The city of Birmingham doesn't quite have the same calibre of craft beer bars as some of our other regions, where there's a much clearer movement occurring. BrewDog Birmingham proves there's definitely a lot of craft beer lovers in the city though, and they're willing and eager to check out what new hoppy malty goodness is on offer! As Duty Manager James says;

"Brewdog Birmingham gives every customer the opportunity to taste a new beer every single week, when customers look at our draft and bottle selection in the bar the majority tell me they never knew so many different beers existed!"

And it seems like the city's likely to see a bit of a revolution on the horizon, according to Keyholder Jon;

"Our location is slightly off the beaten track but it seems we've started the ball rolling on the redevelopment of the area. There have already been a few new openings on the same street since we launched and a lot of our regulars are keen to see the area become a bit of a destination for craft beer in Birmingham."

So what about the beers? What's the team rocking from the boards? Bec, another of the bar's keyholders, reckons packaging makes a big difference

"Ballast Point's Sculpin is my favourite guest beer on right now. I just love its balance of apricot and lemon, with the perfect hoppy finish. I've been lucky enough to have it in bottles, in can and on draft in San Diego itself! I really enjoy any canned beer. I just love the juxtaposition of the stereotype of canned drinks against the wonder of craft beer. They make awesome picnic/takeaway beers which are the perfect vehicle to keep your beer as fresh, hoppy and environmentally friendly as possible (remember to recycle!)"

The Food

BrewDog Birmingham rocks some of the best burgers you're likely to see this side of Adam Richman. Choose from the Royale With Cheese, The Big Kahuna, The Los Pollos Hermanos, or The Don't Have a Cow, Man. All burgers are paired with beers, and there's a few extra items like a Classic Dog, Saint Pork Sarnie and the Cheese All That cheeseboard...can you see a theme yet?

The veggie option's not too shabby either! Check out the veg wrap (perfect for pairing with any of our beers, most of which are vegan-friendly!)

Have you been to BrewDog Birmingham? Let us know what you thought! Got another bar you'd like us to feature on the blog? Drop it in the comments.

Join the Discussion

Comments (8)

These guys know their stuff when it comes to beer! The food is top notch too. If this place was a little closer to me I'd be in there every night! Gutted I missed out on their recent 'brewed in the bar' Cherry in the Rye stout though - can you brew some more please?

Richm3rd September, 2013 11:30am

The food is great particularly the 5am saint pork. The staff are the best thing about the bar, John and Bec always happy to chat beer and recommend some of the more unusual bottled beers.

Alec3rd September, 2013 11:23am

Great bar, great beer and positive enthusiastic staff. home brew club is something other bars should replicate. Once they have we could have inter-bar competitions!

Catch233rd September, 2013 11:15am

Arcade machine! God no! Think of the noise, and while we're on the subject, turn the music down! Good beer though ;)